Issues
And
Debates
, 👩
Gender
Universality
Idea that conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone, anywhere regardless of time or culture
+ diffs in experience + upbringing
• psychologists may possess beliefs + values that are influenced by social + historical context
in which they live
• May undermine claim to discover facts abt beh that are obj , value free + consistent across
time + culture (universality)
* gender bias threatens universality of findings in psych
Gender bias
The differential treatment and/or representation of males + females based on stereotypes +
not on real differences
RESEARCH EXAMPLES: * most w/ men!
• Moscovici
• Asch
• Zimbardo
Maccoby + Jacklin
• 4 real diffs between behav of girls + boys
* CONSEQUENCES OF GENDER BIAS:
1. AGGRESSION • being scientifically misleading
• testaterone levels • Upholding scientific assumptions
• Males more • Validating sexual discrimination
2. VERBAL ABILITIES
• females better * avoiding gender bias does not mea
men and women are the same
3. SPATIAL ABILITIES
• males better
4. BOYS BETTER AT MATHS
,ALPHA bias
Research which overestimates the diff between men and women
• diffs are typically presented as real and enduring + fixed and inevitable
• E.g: women are bio weaker can't change that
• although diff may occ heighten value of women - more likely to devalue females in relation to
their male counterparts
Research example:
1. EVOLUTIONARY APPR
• evolutionary processes in the development of the human species
explain why males tend to be more dominant
• why females have more parental investment in their offspring
• men are more likely to commit adultery
• However, society has changed considerably over the years
• argued that evolutionary perspective should not be used to justify
gender differences.
2. FREUD
• girls do not suffer same Oedipal conflict as boys
• Do not ind w/ mothers as strongly as boys id w/ their fathers
• Develop weaker superegos
• Weaker morals than mean
Beta bias
Underestimates the diffs between men + women
• often occur when females not included as part of research process
• Assumes research findings apply equally to both sexes
• without additional validation
Research Example:
1. ASCH 4. MOSCOVICI
2. ZIMABRDO 5. TAYLOR ET AL (Challenges w/tend + befriend)
3. MILGRAM
, Consequence of Alpha + Beta bias
ALPHA:
• misrepresentation of behaviour
• Overestimate gender differences
• Lead to devaluating women
BETA:
• misrepresentation of behaviour
• Underestimates gender differences
• Lead to ignoring real gender differences for women
* has led to more equality in workplace + education for women
Androcentrism
Viewing the world from a male centred point of view
• male based views = standard / norm to explain psychological experiences of both sexes
• If females show diff behaviours from male norm - inferior / abnormal
• Leads to fem beh being misunderstood + sometimes "pathologised" -> psych instability
Research examples
FREUD:
• 'penis envy'
• Women defined psychogically by fact they aren't men
• Theories had serious conseq -> reinforced stereotypes
• E.g: women morally inferior , dev from traditional sex role beh as pathological
·
PRE- MENSTRUAL SYNDROME
• may stereotype + trivialise fem experience
• critics claim PMS is a social construct
• Medicalises female emotion - especially anger - by explaining in hormonal terms
• male anger - rational response to external stimuli
And
Debates
, 👩
Gender
Universality
Idea that conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone, anywhere regardless of time or culture
+ diffs in experience + upbringing
• psychologists may possess beliefs + values that are influenced by social + historical context
in which they live
• May undermine claim to discover facts abt beh that are obj , value free + consistent across
time + culture (universality)
* gender bias threatens universality of findings in psych
Gender bias
The differential treatment and/or representation of males + females based on stereotypes +
not on real differences
RESEARCH EXAMPLES: * most w/ men!
• Moscovici
• Asch
• Zimbardo
Maccoby + Jacklin
• 4 real diffs between behav of girls + boys
* CONSEQUENCES OF GENDER BIAS:
1. AGGRESSION • being scientifically misleading
• testaterone levels • Upholding scientific assumptions
• Males more • Validating sexual discrimination
2. VERBAL ABILITIES
• females better * avoiding gender bias does not mea
men and women are the same
3. SPATIAL ABILITIES
• males better
4. BOYS BETTER AT MATHS
,ALPHA bias
Research which overestimates the diff between men and women
• diffs are typically presented as real and enduring + fixed and inevitable
• E.g: women are bio weaker can't change that
• although diff may occ heighten value of women - more likely to devalue females in relation to
their male counterparts
Research example:
1. EVOLUTIONARY APPR
• evolutionary processes in the development of the human species
explain why males tend to be more dominant
• why females have more parental investment in their offspring
• men are more likely to commit adultery
• However, society has changed considerably over the years
• argued that evolutionary perspective should not be used to justify
gender differences.
2. FREUD
• girls do not suffer same Oedipal conflict as boys
• Do not ind w/ mothers as strongly as boys id w/ their fathers
• Develop weaker superegos
• Weaker morals than mean
Beta bias
Underestimates the diffs between men + women
• often occur when females not included as part of research process
• Assumes research findings apply equally to both sexes
• without additional validation
Research Example:
1. ASCH 4. MOSCOVICI
2. ZIMABRDO 5. TAYLOR ET AL (Challenges w/tend + befriend)
3. MILGRAM
, Consequence of Alpha + Beta bias
ALPHA:
• misrepresentation of behaviour
• Overestimate gender differences
• Lead to devaluating women
BETA:
• misrepresentation of behaviour
• Underestimates gender differences
• Lead to ignoring real gender differences for women
* has led to more equality in workplace + education for women
Androcentrism
Viewing the world from a male centred point of view
• male based views = standard / norm to explain psychological experiences of both sexes
• If females show diff behaviours from male norm - inferior / abnormal
• Leads to fem beh being misunderstood + sometimes "pathologised" -> psych instability
Research examples
FREUD:
• 'penis envy'
• Women defined psychogically by fact they aren't men
• Theories had serious conseq -> reinforced stereotypes
• E.g: women morally inferior , dev from traditional sex role beh as pathological
·
PRE- MENSTRUAL SYNDROME
• may stereotype + trivialise fem experience
• critics claim PMS is a social construct
• Medicalises female emotion - especially anger - by explaining in hormonal terms
• male anger - rational response to external stimuli
